If the U.S. Navy’s Littoral Combat Ships are delayed, the service may debut the Northrop Grumman MQ-8B Fire Scout unmanned rotorcraft –on another air-capable ship,” said William Balderson, the service’s program executive officer for air programs.

That –would allow us to not delay the Fire Scout even if LCS slips” and would also allow the service to begin integrating the vertical-takeoff UAV onto a working ship, driving down –integration risk” when it moves to the littoral ships, he said.

“If”? “If” the LCS slips? That boat done slipped already.

Regardless, the Fire Scout looks like a winner and we shouldn’t let the LCS mess delay what promises to be valuable asset. The Army, which plans to use the Fire Scout in it’s (also slipping) Future Combat System program, is impatient for it to join the force.